Avodah

I can only speak for the work Avodah does for New Orleans, but it's amazing work! A lot of national non-profits come into the city with the attitude that they know how to solve our biggest issues for us. Avodah's service corps focuses on helping local organizations, who best understand NOLA's problems, build capacity to reach their goals. Avodah sees the good that already exists in New Orleans, and it shows in how engaged and excited their Corps Members are to be here.

Avodah helped me find my way in a time where I was feeling very stuck in a job. As part of the Chicago Justice Fellowship, I found a community that helped guide me not only professionally, but personally. Participating in an Avodah program was a foundational experience as I moved forward in a career doing nonprofit work. I can't wait to see how Avodah expands in the coming years.

I participated in Avodah's Service Corps fifteen years ago and the effects are everlasting. My own learnings about Judaism and social change within nonprofits and labor unions continue to deeply influence my life. After spending thirteen years in New Orleans as part of the thriving alumni community, I returned to my hometown of St. Louis, MO. Sitting in the Rosh Hashanah children's services at a local synagogue, I started talking with a mom sitting next to me who turned out to be another Avodah alum. Just to say, the learning, as well as the personal and professional connections that come from being an alum of Avodah continue to support me as I live my life.

I was so impressed with my long-time room mate's experience as a service corps member in DC, that I ended up applying for a job at Avodah. I am even more impressed with the organization now that I get to work with the amazing staff and corps members every day. The work culture and values-aligned approach of the organization make it really stand out.

Avodah is a wonderful place to work -- I've been here for over 2.5 years and all of my co-workers are fantastic and the work we do is truly impactful. Plus, our alumni network and program participants are deeply committed to justice work and their Jewish communities. Highly recommend.

I completed Avodah 2 years ago in New Orleans. 2 years later, and I am still working at my original placement during my Avodah year, The First 72+, doing criminal justice reform. I am continuously so grateful for Avodah for giving me such an incredible work family, my best friends, and inviting me into such an amazing New Orleans community. Avodah taught me a variety of skills, but most importantly how to engage in difficult conversations and give and receive space, which in hard times has proven extremely valuable. Could not recommend Avodah more for any young Jewish individuals passionate about social justice work.

I participated in the Avodah service corps after college and was introduced to a community of Jews who shared my values and pushed me to figure out how to live them. I’ve seen been involved with Avodah in the alumni community and briefly as an employee. I have a lot of respect an appreciation for the work they do!

I joined the Avodah community 12 years ago, and I continue to feel connected to the community in many different ways today. It is a space where I feel valued, seen, and challenged. I am proud of the work Avodah has done since I was in their program and I know I will continue to learn from its work for many years to come.

As a grant writer at Avodah, I feel a true sense of joy while writing about the myriad ways this organization cultivates and supports Jewish communities dedicated to social justice.

Avodah helped launch my interest and career in Jewish communal work, thus finding my way into fundraising as a career. The service corps program also helped me explore what I wanted my adult Jewish life to look like, offering me opportunities to learn about others' traditions, and form them into my own. 15 years after participating in the program in NOLA, my career brought me to Avodah as a professional - managing some of the organization's relationship building and development. I love this organization and appreciate the impact its participants make to improve the world.

I had a great experience with Avodah! It allowed me to start in a field of work I was really excited about and wanted to learn more. I was able to jump into my role with support from my program director and my cohort. Avodah also helped me build a strong and meaningful Jewish community. My house found ways to support each other and work through the challenges of our work and world together while building lasting friendships - all during the pandemic! I'm grateful for my Avodah experience and the people who were part of it.

Working at Avodah is a joy. The people are thoughtful, engaging, and dynamic. The organization is responsive to their stakeholders and responsible to the communities we work with.

Incredible experience combining Jewish life, justice work, and community!

Avodah was integral in shaping and refining my professional identity, and provided me with life long friendships, and valuable critical perspectives on the intersections of Jewish practice and social justice. Avodah has had a huge impact on me and I cannot recommend this organization more!

I had an amazing experience as an Avodah Corps Member in Chicago! It was very formative for me in my career and life.

Avodah is one of the few nonprofits that I've worked at that puts their mission into practice on every level of their organization. I'm constantly impressed with their ability and willingness to grow and adapt to meet the needs of their program participants, employees, and Jewish community.

As a former Corps member, now city council member, I support this organization wholeheartedly. Avodah taught me so much about how how to live out my Jewish/social justice values in the workplace, in the city I lived in and in my home live. I absolutely loved my work placement and grew as a young professional while being part of a such a tight-knit community. Thank you, Avodah!

I spent the year after college in Avodah's Service Corps, and it had a huge - and positive - impact on me. Avodah helped me think deeply about social justice and my role in it. It also introduced me to a wonderful community and gave me my first real work experience.

Avodah is an incredible organization that significantly increases the capacity of local non-profits in the greater DC area to fight poverty. In addition, it develops Corps members to become life long advocates and organizers for justice through a Jewish lens.

I was a corp member in 2016-2017, and Avodah was transformative in my career and personal journey. The friendships I made, the learning and development I experienced, and the professional lessons I learned made Avodah the perfect place for me to land right after graduation. So glad I chose to spend a year with Avodah, and continue to stay involved as an alumni.

Avodah specializes in transformative experiences that help people connect their Judaism to justice work. The programs are memorable, innovative, challenging, and center education and personal growth. The vibrant alumni community is full of experience and knowledge that is shared among the group. The staff care deeply about the participants and their experiences in the program, which is evident in their lifelong commitment to leadership and justice in their communities.

Avodah's transformative work has inspired and engaged me for over one dozen years-first, as a Corps Member supervisor at the nonprofit where I worked, then as a Board member, and most recently, as the parent of an "Avodahnik." The young adults who devote themselves to serving the community with all their heart, soul and might are truly impressive. Avodah provides these extraordinary leaders with a nurturing home, opportunities for shared learning, and meaningful opportunities to pursue social justice.

I participated in the inaugural year of the young professionals program, which is a bit different than the service program. One aspect that exceeded my expectations was the introduction to, and induction into, the vast network between alums and participants. It is an online forum where people post about jobs, opportunities, collective action for social change, among other things. This has led me to understand networking in a whole new way, and because it exists in the context of Avodah--a positive, values-based community--there is already a sense of trust and warmth available to me as I respond to people about the various opportunities. What an asset this creates!

Love Avodah! Met so many friends in this program. World class fellowship. I felt so much growth during my time in the program. Joy and Jewish community is centered. Highly recommended!

As a Chicago justice fellow, Avodah helped me deepen my connections to Judaism, to social justice, and to my community. This program provided me enough jumping off points for an entire lifetime of learning and inspired action!

I participated in the Avodah Fellowship in Chicago 2017-2018, and over three years worked closely in partnership with Avodah students and staff in my role at the Jewish Council on Urban Affairs. I always found Avodah to be an incredibly thoughtful, compassionate, and important voice in the Jewish social justice world, and have learned a ton from their programs and resources. I have also witnessed their desire and determination to evaluate and improve their initiatives, for the benefit of broad social justice goals and of their participants' experiences.

Such a wonderful organization. I am still connected to the people I met during my time as social change fellow.

Avodah does great work with placing young people at area nonprofits and supporting them on their journey to help their communities.

aryeh was great facilitator for fellowship and met a bunch of great people through the experience!

I participated in the Avodah Justice Learning Fellowship in Chicago. It was a very meaningful experience and I am grateful that I had the opportunity to work with this organization!

I participated Avodah Justice Fellowship Chicago cohort in 2019-2020, and I continue to be proud of my connection to this organization. My experience with the Justice Fellowship was above and beyond the most impactful educational experience I've had in a cohort setting outside of the classroom. We connected local and national social justice issues to Jewish teaching, built community among our cohort, and pivoted successfully to the virtual era of the beginning of the pandemic. I am proud to call myself an Avodah alumni as I know this organization will continue to impact many others.

Avodah plays such an important role in developing bold, progressive Jewish leaders. I'm honored to be an alum, and am so grateful for this organization's impact.

I participated in Avodah's Social Justice Fellowship in 2019-2020 and it was life-changing! How special it is to be in community with others who share values and are passionate about improving the world we are living in one day at a time!

As a former Avodah Fellowship participant, current alum, and member of the Advisory Council, I can say that Avodah is a tremendous organization empowering young leaders and fostering justice in the Jewish community and beyond. Being a lifelong member of the Avodah community is something I do not take for granted. It has absolutely changed my life for the better.

Avodah is an incredible organization that trains the next generation of Jewish social justice leaders. I'm grateful to have participated in the Fellowship in 2017 and to now be part of the Advisory Council - it's a very special organization and community.

Avodah does exactly that - WORK! work for our communities, work for those in need, work for the volunteers, and put their resources to work.
Can't say enough good words about the people doing the hard work and the huge impact their work has on every single person they touch.
Having the opportunity to serve in the Avodah San Diego Council, I can experience up close the level of commitment and the impact of every volunteer. From helping immigrants across the border with their legal paperwork to educating low-income tenants about their rights.
Thank you, Avodah!

As a 2018-2019 participant in the Chicago Avodah Justice Fellowship, I am continually inspired by the range of experiences, lessons, and community that has become accessible to me through my participation in Avodah.

I did the Fellowship program and feel that Avodah is doing great work to develop leaders and help people struggling with poverty and injustice in the US!

The Avodah Service Corps provided me with the opportunity to grow in my understanding of systemic justice and build community

I am an alum of Avodah and a former employee. I can say with full confidence that Avodah provides an invaluable experience for both participants in their programming and the communities they impact. As an employee, I was witness to the dedicated, intentional, and supportive culture that the organization upholds. I will forever be a supporter of Avodah.

Avodah provides such an incredible experience of service, community-building and development of personal and professional identity for the young people who go through the program. And the work of its intelligent, ambitious and dedicated members is crucial for the effectiveness of the nonprofits and communities in which they work. The organization also does a great job with transparency and fostering community among its many other supporters.

I am so proud to be an Avodah alum! I did the service corps in 2012-2013 in Chicago, and Avodah has been my Jewish home ever since. In addition to training progressive future leaders, Avodah sets an example for all other Jewish nonprofits on how to live out their values.

Avodah set me up with an amazing community, critical lens of the city I had moved to (New Orleans), and skills for my professional (and non-professional) future! I'm so glad I did Avodah.

I did Avodah as a corps member in 2009-2010, and I've been involved in the alum community ever since then. My experience with Avodah has been transformative - the organization has given me a lens through which to understand poverty and social justice; friends to fight alongside with for a better world; and an invaluable network

Avodah has provided me with a vast network of Jewish people committed to combating poverty and engaging in intentional, community-driven justice work. As a core member in 2010-11 in Chicago, my experience provided me grounded me with a critical compass and foundation for the public service, community building and organizing work I would continue to engage in for the following decade and beyond. My placement was with America Scores Chicago after-school programs which kicked off my career in youth development work. As an alum, I am continuously amazed by the resource-sharing, advocacy, dialogues and comradery of the Avodah network. I am proud to be an alum and donor to this transformative work.

My experience in Avodah shaped who I am and what I do today. My experience living in the house with other young people led to lifelong friendships. The programming through Avodah helped me form my own Jewish identity as well as career path.

My time as a participant in AVODAH drastically altered the trajectory of my life. I was introduced to people who I found tremendously inspiring and influential. Through the programming and community building, I developed my own Jewish identity and met friends who are still very dear to me over 10 years later. AVODAH also brought me to a non-profit where I ended up working for 4 years. It is actually quite difficult to distill the ways that AVODAH influenced my life because it left an indelible mark on me as a jew, as a woman, and as an activist.

Taking part in the AVODAH Justice Fellowship was fundamental to me exploring my interest and role in social justice movements. It gave me a better overall view of the current playing field and considerations, and empowered me to take a larger role in movements and campaigns despite not having experience with them in the past. It allowed me to me truly incredible individuals just as passionate and hard working as I, and left me with a network of organizers and activists that has already proved invaluable.

Avodah helped set me on a course of social justice in my career and in my community involvement. As a Corps Member, I found both professional and personal avenues for growth and was fortunate to join a community of others looking for the same. The year I spent in Avodah was definitely challenging -- we worked long hours with clients facing extreme structural barriers, all on a small stipend -- but it was the most rewarding of my life. Despite being raised Modern Orthodox, I never learned Judaism's textual and historic bases for social justice until I joined Avodah. I am so grateful for the experiential education I received and the supportive community of which I'm now an active part!

We have so much to do to address the injustice in our country. Some people talk about it. Those committed to the work of Avodah roll up their sleeves and do something about it! In addition to the current corp members, there are hundreds of alum throughout the country who continue this work in a variety of capacities. The world is a better place with Avodah in it!

I love Avodah! they train the next generation of Jewish social justice leaders with a real world understanding of the social justice world outside of the Jewish community and by imparting a sense of responsibility, vision and commitment on its corps members.

Avodah is a non-profit that is a triple whammy. (1) Avodah trains the next generation of social justice leaders and provides a transformative experience for its Corps members. (2) For local communities, Avodah has added personnel and dollars to hundreds of organizations and supported the lives of hundreds of thousands of people struggling with poverty; and (3) Through its amazing work, Aovdah continues to provide inspiration and hope for all of its stakeholders, including its donors.

This is a great organization that is preparing the next generation to lead us in the direction that our society needs to go.

Avodah is an amazing organization! The social justice fellowship in NYC was very powerful and impactful. The organization is welcoming, inclusive and works hard to fight for social justice on many different levels. I’m so glad I joined!

Avodah expands the work of so many important organizations through its corps member program, and it offers young adults a unique opportunity to step into the world of justice. As a board member and supporter of Avodah, I see many of our corps members profoundly affected by their year of service. They are often able to use it as a platform for their own career development and as the beginning to their lifelong commitment to changing a corner of the world.

I participated in Avodah's inaugural year in New Orleans from 2008-2009 and I owe so much of my journey since then to my experience that year. Avodah helped me explore my personal Judaism, and it set me on a path for work in the Jewish community. I love this organization and will continue to support it as a monthly/recurring donor.

I participated in Avodah in DC and I owe my career to it. Avodah gave me the opportunity to explore non profits in a way that I could have never imagined. It gave me the skills and start that I needed right out of college. I also am grateful for the network and support that I find in alumni across the country.

I am an alum of this organization's service program and also a former board member. That is one of the many reasons why I love them -- they put young people who are at the heart of the mission in a decision-making role. I continue to volunteer with Avodah on their Development Committee so I see firsthand how carefully they steward resources and how much they cherish their donors. It's been about 15 years since I 'graduated' from my year of service with Avodah and I'm still devoted to Judaism and social justice, and this organization is a huge part of that.

I have interacted with Avodah corps members past 10 years. They are passionate, curious, and dedicated. They are intent upon using their Avodah year to learn lifelong skills which they will use to promote and fight for social justice as social workers, medical professionals , legal professionals, rabbis, teachers, non-profit professionals, etc. Avodah is transformative for participants, and most remain in the social justice field throughout their careers.

Avodah harnesses the idealism and passion of young people and directs that to serving communities in need. It is social justice in action, through a Jewish lens. The organization itself is so well run, led by inspired staff and volunteers who ensure that the young people can make as great an impact on the people they serve and that the experience is transfomative for themselves. The very great majority of Avodah alumni continue to work in social justice fields.

An incredible organization that uses all of its resources and creativity to strengthen and improve communities.

I know two young women who participated in Avodah after college. One was my daughter and the other a friend's daughter. They both gained a lot from the experience, the love of non-profit work and the importance of social justice work. They learned that the ideals taught in school are impactful when applied to real people and real-life situations. Both of these young women have gone on to help others in their quest for economic fairness and justice in the world. The experience wasn't, as one person suggested, a way of feeling good about themselves. It was a way of feeling good about others, of learning to care and respect other people, and to be positive. Neither myself nor my friend financially supported our daughters when they were in this program. I'm sorry that one of the reviewers walked away with bitterness.

I served in the Service Corps in D.C. in 2013-2014 and currently serve on the New York Advisory Council. Avodah was a transformative experience, helping me shape abstract social justice values into a career path. Four years later, I am approaching law school graduation, and following a clerkship, I intend to return to providing civil legal services to people living in poverty–a field I knew nothing about before Avodah placed me in one of the greatest legal services organizations in the country. Since leaving Avodah, I have been continually impressed with Avodah's commitment to improving and growing. The alumni community is one of the best resources I have in serving clients, and I'm proud to be an Avodah alum and supporter.

I participated in this program over a decade ago and the experience helped me in my post-college transition, obtaining full-time employment at the conclusion of the year of service, and has made me a part of a powerful network of alumni. They are doing critical work that benefits communities and those who participate in the program.

Avodah helped me create a Jewish social justice community post college and kick-started my career in the non-profit sector.

I was an Avodah corps member back in 2010 in Chicago and the organization had a transformational impact on my life. The year-long service program opened new professional doors for me, leading me to a meaningful career in refugee and international human rights programming. I made some of my best friends through Avodah and continue to draw on the support of its community for both spiritual and social sustenance. The alumni network Avodah has produced is unparalleled in terms of its members' ongoing commitment to social justice, activism, and social and spiritual engagement.

My son, who was involved in several Jewish and secular social justice organizations in high school and college, was a corp member in the year after he graduated from college. AVODAH was, by far, the most important experience in shaping who he is as an adult. His outlook on life and his choice of careers were shaped by his experience with AVODAH. He has gained lifelong friends and built a national network of contacts who have been invaluable. I would promote this program for any young Jewish adult.

Avodah does such incredible work for both the fellows and the community. The experiences that each young person gets with the organization is empowering and the work they do in service of the community around them enriches all they touch.

As an AVODAH Service Corps Member from 2002 through 2003, I had the opportunity to live communally with other Jewish recent college graduates, dive into the connection between Judaism and Social Justice, and work full time at a local non-profit. Together we created and participated in programs designed to deepen our connection and understanding of Judaism and Social Justice. Following my year of Service, Avodah connected me to an ever growing community of committed alumni. Over 15 years later, I still look to the alumni community with any and all of my Jewish/Social Justice questions. I feel lucky to be a part of this community.

I was a member of the Avodah Service Corps in Chicago in 2008-09; as a recent college graduate the Service Corps provided an incredible opportunity to work full time while receiving significant support and training from Avodah. My year in Avodah has shaped my professional and personal journey; I continue to revisit the lessons I learned and the experiences I gained on a regular basis. I'm now an active part of the alumni community - and a member of the Board - and continue to be grateful for the ways that the Avodah network shapes my life and helps fuel social change.

I got to know Avodah first through its fellows, recent college graduates who felt that part of their Jewish identity included giving back to their communities through serious service work. I have since joined the board of Avodah and have only been more impressed with the organization and its partnership with anti-poverty organizations and the young fellows who do the work. This is an organization worth supporting--your money not only helps to fund anti-poverty work in some of the most distressed urban centers, but it also supports a generation of young Jewish leaders who go on to serve their communities in different ways throughout their lives. Avodah is transformative!

I have been involved with Avodah for over 10 years and have been profoundly impacted by the organization. As a participant in Avodah's service corps, I had the opportunity to learn all about Judaism and social justice. I did the service corps in Chicago and my year in Avodah gave me authentic insight in the social justice community and work happening in Chicago. After completing my service corps year in Chicago, I continued to stay involved with the Alumni community and network in Chicago. Through this network, I am regularly invited to engage in learning and actions related to both local and national social justice issues. Additionally, Avodah has given me a Jewish home. The Avodah Alumni network has provided me with a Jewish community who I can spend holidays with and celebrate life milestones with. When I joined Avodah in 2006, I had no idea that the organization and program would so profoundly shape my adult life. I am so grateful for the ways Avodah built me as a Jewish leader of social justice-- and the ways in which Avodah does this for so many others.

I had the distinct privilege of being involved with Avodah as a participant in the NYC fellowship, which equipped me with tools and insights to be more impactful and find more meaning in my job in public health. Shortly after the program ended, I took part in a women's leadership coaching program through Avodah with other alumnae, which played a powerful role in helping me chart a career path that feels inspiring and motivating. Today, I'm a proud board member of the organization, and the relationships I've built through my involvement with Avodah form the heart of my Jewish community. The Avodah community helps me see myself as a powerful agent of change, pushes me to think critically about the impact I have and can have in the world, and is a constant source of inspiration and joy.

Avodah is structured so that only individuals with privileged backgrounds can succeed in their position. It is basically set up as a year for recent college grads to feel good about themselves while they continue to take money from their parents. For those who participate for different reasons and don't have a safety net, they cannot live off the stipend and keep up with the house social scene leading to burn out due to the onerous work, high demands, poor social support, and no financial pay off. Worse it's represented as something it's not. I'm three years out and still look back at the experience as a waste of time and a poor use of my skills.

AVODAH is by far the most ableist and financial inaccessible "volunteer" experience I've ever had. I had to resign from my position early fpr health related reasons, and the organization promptly kicked me out of my house with two weeks until my next lease started, one day notice (against DC tenant law) and nowhere to go. This was against the expressed wishes of my fellow corps members (whose needs, I think, should be the organization's top priority) and while still mandating that I pay rent for the next three months (after working for a year under the minimum wage and while struggling to cover medical expenses). I am both shocked and disappointed that AVODAH-- as an organization that prizes itself being equitable and social justice oriented -- has no clause in its contract acknowledging mental/ physical disabilities as potential barriers to completion of serve. Throughout my departure process, I was made to feel like my situation was in some way my fault, and was made to compensate AVODAH financially for making a decision that my doctor recommended. I find it hard to fathom that I am now in debt to an organization which I was working for in a stipended position, after leaving for a health issue that I already hold much shame in. As one of the few corp members without the buffer of family support to fall back on, I was constantly made to feel like I was asking for special privileges for not being able to manage the 60+ hours of commitment per week that AVODAH expects from it's corp members (with site placements, programming, house meetings, mandatory community activities, etc), while balancing outside responsibilities that none of the other corps members had. No wonder the organization primarily attracts volunteers from certain socio-economic and familial backgrounds! I loved my corps members and respect my program director and her intentions, but feel strongly that the structure of the program is completely inaccessible to folks who don't identify with certain brands of Judaism and/ or have needs that fall outside the "norm". I therefore couldn't in good faith recommend it to anyone strongly committed to grassroots social justice work.

As a AVODAH corps member, I spent a year living in a communal house and working in a local nonprofit. The AVODAH program and staff were very supportive around the communal living stuff and work stuff, did not push me Jewishly as much as I had hoped.

Through AVODAH I had an incredible year working with low-income seniors in New York City. I was part social worker, part pharmacist, and part advocate on behalf of hundreds of Medicare beneficiaries, and my work during AVODAH led me to attend law school. In addition to being the spark that I hope will develop into a rewarding public interest legal career, I made some incredible friends throughout the year - people who have supported me through tough times and celebrated with me in the good times.

A truly meaningful, life-changing experience. I became more aware of the world I live in while also learning about myself. I met amazing people and connected to a community that inspires and accomplishes incredible things.

AVODAH is amazing! It provides young Jews with an opportunity to expand their Jewish sense of identity at time when we are unstable with who we are and where we stand in the world. An instant community of Jews and like minded individuals are basically served to us on a golden platter, as well as real world experience serving people and communities that are important to us.

My experience with Avodah has been transformative. It has changed my vision of the world and how Judaism and social justice are important in my own life.

Housing Unlimited, Inc. (HUI) is fortunate to have an Avodah participant-- Joshua Neirman-- work full-time this year with HUI. Josh has been an outstanding addition to our staff-- he cares deeply about our mission (HUI provides affordable housing to low income adults with psychiatric disabilities), he is very kind and respectful towards the people we serve, and he is a true team player-- happy to chip in with the large and small tasks that must be completed to keep HUI up and running. The Avodah supervisory staff is very organized and communicate regularly and clearly with HUI to ensure everything is going smoothly.

I have been receiving AVODAH volunteers to help run our legal clinic for seven years. They have been outstanding workers and friends. The quality of people AVODAH gets each year to donate their time to helping the poor with our and other organizations is incredible. AVODAH not only instills a strong sense of Jewish tradition and values in its members, it provides crucial services to this country's poor.

The reason for my ongoing involvement with Avodah is because my participation in this program has helped to amplify multiple songs in my soul and set them into powerful harmony. The song of Jewish community and intentional relationships. The song of social action. The song of taking up the fight against injustice. And the song of doing what’s right, of doing what’s human. I sing these songs loudly now, and with others who know the tune, the words, … the meaning.

As an AVODAH Corps Member, I had the opportunity to live together with other Jewish young adults, exploring together the connection between Judaism and Social Justice, and working full time at a non-profit. We had very meaningful workshops weekly covering topics from housing, to racism, to mental health. It also gave me the opportunity to explore my Jewish traditions and learn about others'. AVODAH was a positive step to get into the world of non-profit. After my year in AVODAH my organization offered me a full time position and I am still employed there. I still actively engage with AVODAH, interacting with new corps members as well as alumni.

AVODAH provided exposure, experience, and support in the social service world, all within a Jewish, social justice framework. My positive experience was a major factor in my decision to pursue an MSW/MPH degree.

AVODAH is an amazing program (!) which provides Jewish individuals an experience to learn about social justice within the context of a Jewish framework. For me it was a year of meeting passionate individuals, who work towards the issues they believe in. AVODAH provides young college graduates with an experience of working with various marginalized populations. It is a year of growth and learning. It was a very important year in my life and in my growth of learning and understanding what I value and what is important for me to work towards.

AVODAH is a multilayered experience, full of strengths and challenges. Overall, I grew personally and professionally by leaps and bounds and strengthened my commitment to pursuing justice. I continue to feel like I'm part of a movement in this endeavor as the alumni community expands.

AVODAH The Jewish Service Corps changed my life. It is a program for recent college graduates who live communally and work at non-profits dedicated to social justice. I spent one year living in Brooklyn with 9 other young Jews of varying backgrounds and levels of observance. My work involved educating Medicare beneficiaries about their health care benefits, supervising a crisis hotline, and even representing clients at court. My roommates' jobs varied from staffing a neighborhood soup kitchen, to helping people with mental illness find housing, to staffing shelters for battered women. AVODAH staff members guided us with bi-weekly meetings in which we studied the ways our Jewish faith intersected with our passion for anti-poverty work. As an alumnus of the program, AVODAH continues to play a large role in my life by providing access to a network of alumni as well as annual retreats where we renew our commitment to Tikun Olam - making the world a better place. AVODAH was one of the single most influential experiences that shaped me into who I am today. Please support this wonderful program that has given so much to so many. Sincerely, Yuval Asner, MD Johns Hopkins Hospital

My year in Avodah was an amazing experience that solidified my commitment to working with the underserved, as well as exposed me to many role models doing anti-poverty work and different models for doing so. I had the opportunity to work for the entire year through my placement organization, a legal non-profit, doing welfare advocacy and eviction prevention work in New York City. I did this while living together with 9 other Avodah participants, all with jobs related to antipoverty, and we had opportunities to learn from and share with each other. Finally, Avodah provided us with formal teaching on various topics related to poverty, as well as tying our Jewish identity and texts to our anti-poverty work and providing opportunities for self-reflection.

As a volunteer in Avodah's one year program, I gained a foot in the door with non profits working in urban centers and the beginning of my career in outdoor environmental education in which I'm particularly dedicated to brining city kids out into the wonders of nature. Avodah not only provides its members with a one year work and volunteer experience, with a life long opportunity to connect with individuals who care about creating thoughtful change in our society. Working relationships may be forged and Jewish community is strengthened as alumni of the program stay connected with each other.

My experience in AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps was one of the pivotal experiences of my life. As a volunteer coordinator I learned how to coordinate a program, manage a program, recruit and retain volunteers as well as navigate Brooklyn, New York. The corps members and I in my year really forged a close bond based upon shared values and though I am not always in touch as often as I might like, I still count them among my closest friends. Several years ago, AVODAH decided to work on alumni and the engagement there has been improving though still has a long way to go. Because so many of the alumni are still based in New York almost all of the programming takes place there. Because of my own personal scheduling challenges I have only been able to attend one alumni retreat and hope to be present at more in the future. I Think AVODAH does tremendously important work all of the people who are touched by its' programs from clients to corps members to any person that interacts with a corps member after their service year.

My AVODAH experience was one I will never forget, how many experiences will I have in my l live communally with 11 other young Jewish adults and have the opportunity to work for a top service agency in NYC. Most of the time I laughed, some times I cried (out of joy) but most of all I learnt what it is to care about other people. To care for my clients who came from extremely rough backgrounds,and to care for my peers who were simultaneously experiencing all of the emotions and happy times that I was.

I found my year with Avodah privoded an invaluable job experience, fabulous educational experience. and I found friend for life who share my values and interests.

AVODAH provides young Jewish adults with a phenomenal opportunity to engage their Judaism and pursue meaningful vocation. I am truly grateful for the support and challenge that the program provides!

AVODAH is an incredible organization and as much as I appreciated the program when I was a corps member, I appreciate AVODAH infinitely more now that I'm an alumn. The year program itself is a fantastic way to experience the social change sector first-hand, since both communal living and programming provide a much-needed support system and a venue for reflection on the many questions inherent in service work. As an alumn, I've had the opportunity to see that AVODAH has truly built a national movement for change fueled by Jewish values. When I moved out of NY last year, I was able to connect almost immediately with individuals who shared my values and vision for the world (and with whom I could also reminisce about a unique year-long experience) - what a powerful thing! I continue to feel supported by fellow alumni via the listserv and inspired by all the work that alumni go on to do in their lives.

excellent, one of the most transformative years of my life. i made friends that i will remain close with, i learned a lot about myself, the work was quite meaningful and important, and i learned skills from working, from workshops, and from communal living that have been useful in many aspects of my daily life. i was able to explore judaism in an open, creative, and affirming environment.

Avodah is an amazing program for young Jewish people just out of college. A group of 18, we live together and work on building an intentional community of people commited to social action. Each of us works in a different non-profit organization or agency around New York city (though there are other groups just like us in Chicago, New Orleans, and DC). We spend a lot of time talking about social justice and trying to connect the work we do to a broader vision of social change and tikkun olam. The program is SO well designed and comprehensive, which allows us to get right down to the important business. It's an amazing year so far!

AVODAH is a wonderful organization. No other non-profit allows young people to combine their Jewish values with their social justice values in such an integrated way. The experience goes beyond serving as a full-time volunteer for one year.

I participated as a Corp member in Avodah 2007-2008. It was an amazing opportunity to meet other justice minded young jewish adults wanted to give a year of our life to service and working with the underserved community. Now as an Alumni, I am part of a rich network of support who are available whenever I reach out to them.

Avodah was a life changing experience for me. I learned invaluable experience about working in social justice and about community. Through the three components of the program (working, communal living, and educational programming) I grew more in this one year than I possible could imagine. I made life long friends and learned so much about myself and my future in the social justice world.

Avodah helps young Jewish adults to do social justice work while engaging in Jewish programming. It places Jewish Corps members in non-profit placements and supports them through th progression of their work. It has a broad network, that brings speakers from all over to engage members.I have enjoyed my placement in Chicago, working with people with mental illness. Avodah has shown me how Judaism relates to my work and reinforces the importance of it. Living with 6 other girls all working at non-profits has provided opportunities for story telling and experience relating which teaches me new things every day.

I learned how to be a better "me," while helping those I served learn how to be better "them." It was truly one of the most enriching and life-changing experiences I have been blessed to have.

avodah provided me with the opportunity to live in community, explore my faith, and gain valuable experience doing hands-on social justice work. it was one of the most challenging and most rewarding years of my life.

I worked as a case manager at a homeless shelter for women with severe mental illness for a year through AVODAH.

AVODAH was exactly what I was looking for post college. The program gave me a chance to give back to a community in need, to live communally, and to engage with my own Judaism in a meaningful way. My placement/volunteer experience was helping formerly homeless or currently homeless and former substance abusers prepare to re-enter the workforce. I ran workshops on issues such as financial literacy and money management, succeeding in a job interview, and I helped create resumes for people who didn't have them or that needed updating. Living with the other people in the same house, who came with a variety of Jewish backgrounds, was both challenging and rewarding. I learned a great deal about myself and my Judaism, and also about communal living, time management, and conflict negotiation. Finally, engaging in community programs every week afforded us the chance to meet other social justice activists, to learn about important issues, and to enhance my Judaism through text study and discussion. AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps truly changed my life. I am currently studying to become a rabbi, and my time in AVODAH directly contributed to affirming my commitment to social justice, repairing the world, and being Jewish.

AVODAH changed my life both professionally and personally. My participation as an AVODAH Corps Member expanded my network, gave me essential exposure to a variety of social justice issues, and connected me with a job and a group of friends to continue my journey as a Jew working toward social justice every day. I am incredibly thankful for AVODAH.

Great organization, caring staff, results-oriented. Always looking to improve themselves and those that work with them. I love AVODAH and all it stands for.

being a participant in AVODAH transformed my life and changed the way that I look at the world. AVODAH taught me the value of social change work across the spectrum.

I had a phenomenal experience as an AVODAH corps member in New Orleans. AVODAH is training the next generation of Jewish Leaders.

I was a corps member in AVODAH: the Jewish Service Corps. My experience in my placement (a community organization, providing crisis intervention/case management services to individuals in the neighborhood) and the skills I gained changed who I am, changed the way I see the world and helped push me towards pursuing a graduate degree in social work. The opportunities that AVODAH gave to create community among the corps members was imperative as we all struggled to understand and deal with the problems we saw our clients facing (i.e. the immense poverty and systemic problems in the city). While we were often tired going to AVODAH organized discussion sessions and activities, the process of building community as corps members, develop skills, and challenge each other's worldviews is something that has spurred me to continue pursuing work to fight the injustices in our society.

AVODAH is an amazing program. Not only was I able to work in a non-profit with support and guidance, but I was able to contextualize that work within a Jewish framework. the best year.

AVODAH is a one of a kind organization really making a different in the lives of young Jews and the communities we are working in. We are learning, growing, and reaching out! One step at a time AVODAH is helping us to do our part and repair the world.

Avodah was a life changing experience. Skilled staff and a strong mission make this program effective and impactful. Our work was grounded in our values, and our learning and work complemented each other. I met great people and learned more about myself while strengthening my work skills and better comprehending the confluence of Judaism and social justice work.

I am currently a corps member with AVODAH. I have learned a lot out social justice issues in Washington, DC. We've taken a gentrification tour of part of the city. We've had different speakers and great discussions. It's been great.

I have found AVODAH has met and exceeded my expectations as a service corps umbrella organization. As I was nearing my college graduation, I knew I wanted to give back to my country in a way I felt would be meaningful - a year of service was what I decided on. When I began researching AmeriCorps programs, AVODAH caught my eye for its unique program and holistic approach to the volunteer: yes, you spend a year working at a non-profit, but in addition, you live with others going through the same experience. This support network has proven to be invaluable. We discuss the daily trials of working in underfunded organizations in a terrible economy and process the tough reality that as much as we want to make a difference, change can be slow and systematic change even slower. The nonprofit at which I work is a great fit for me. I wholeheartedly support the organization's mission and am honored to be able to further the mission through my service. I do not think I would have had the opportunity to work at my placement had I not earned the job through AVODAH, for which I am grateful. For a secular Jew, I was concerned that AVODAH would be overwhelmingly religious. While I admit I have participated in more religious events and discussions in the 6 weeks of the program than I have combined for the past 6 years of my life, I have not felt it oppressive or a waste of time. Much of AVODAH's religious program component is optional, which I appreciate. I would strongly recommend AVODAH to a young Jew interested in social justice work and living communally!

I was a Corps Member last year and could not have asked for a better experience. I feel so much more enriched because of my time participating in AVODAH.

I did AVODAH in 08-09, and it changed my life. Thank you AVODAH! Social Justice and Judaism are now an integral part of my life.

By participating in AVODAH, I was able to build a strong, Jewish community while also working in an urban anti-poverty organization. It was a real-world, real-life experience that continues to teach me to this day. It was an experience that will truly continue to shape me as an individual, Jew, and public servant.

AVODAH is awesome! Its educational programming supports corps members in doing important work, it encourages reflection, and it values community and relationships for those in the Jewish and social justice worlds.

Excellent program. I learned a lot about how to be a more fulfilled Jew and person while in AVODAH. I wouldn't trade my experience for anything.

AVODAH has been a rewarding experience combining intentional community, Jewish education, and social justice work. My time in AVODAH, even thus far, has been productive in the challenges it has set before me.

AVODAH was the perfect transition from college life to the the real world. It was an educational and practical year that helped me better understand myself, and how I related to others in a variety of settings. It also helped me get an idea of what I might be interested, but more importantly what I did not want to do career wise. AVODAH also greatly strengthened my Jewish identity which was always pretty minimal, especially in any religious sense.

I am a current corps member and love this opportunity to learn more about social justice work, Judaism, living in an intentionial community and this wonderful, complicated city of New Orleans. I am challenged daily with how to react to new situations and ideas and I love getting to face these challenges with lots of support from AVODAH and my housemates. We are constantly exposed to new perspectives with the guest speaker that come to talk to our group, and these discussions always seem to prompt more and more conversation, not only with each other, but with ourselves and the greater community as well. This experience has been incredible so far, already far exceeding my expectations! I'm excited to see what unfolds the rest of the year!

Avodah is a remarkable organization that intersects social justice, community service, communal living, and Judaism. The 15 women in my program city are wonderful and well intentioned and invested in getting what they can out of this experience. I have the opportunity to do work I would otherwise not have been introduced to as well as experience a different part of the country and learn more about anti-poverty work in my city. Avodah is a large commitment and not just a blip on my way to a career. I'm glad for the opportunity to participate in weekly programming where I learn about aforementioned aspects of the organization as well as have the chance to reflect and share my experience. In only the 1.5 months I've been a part of Avodah I've felt like I've developed a community of friends and fellow corps members that support the work I do as well as provide great company!

I am a 2009/2010 Corps member in New Orleans and so far, it has been one of the most formative experiences of my life!

I was a corp member this past year August 2008-August 2009. It was a great opportuntiy to work for social justice right out of college. The organization places people in very prestigious non-profits, many jobs that are hard to get initially without this particular opportunity. The learning aspect helped introduce me to other non-profit organizations and helped me strengthen my leadership skills in the social justice sector.

My year with AVODAH was pivotal in my journey to becoming a Jewish Communal Service professional and receiving my MSW. It was an invaluable experience that is hard to put into words.

I was in AVODAH in DC from 2005-2006. AVODAH offered me a tremendous opportunity to do anti-poverty work in the community. While we worked in jobs and lived simply just as we might have in typical Americorps positions, AVODAH offered us incredible "extra" support that was invaluable to us and our placements. AVODAH supported us socially - because we lived with people having similar ideals and going through experiences. AVODAH supported us financially - because it ensured that we had affordable housing, and it worked with our sites to make sure medical costs would not exceed our ability to pay them. AVODAH works with corps members and site placements to make sure jobs will be good opportunities and can be a mediator if any difficulties arise with the placement. Beyond the benefits to the participants, AVODAH is in a family of service corps that provided tremendous benefits to non-profits in the DC area. Site placements know that they're getting great employees for low cost, and they're likely to continue as AVODAH site placements year after year. AVODAH is wonderful!

worked at an anti-poverty organization providing a soup kitchen and social services to the homeless and low-income community in ocean hill/brownsville/bed-stuy

AVODAH provided an incredibly opportunity for me and hundreds of young Jews across the country. I was an AVODAH Corps Member from 2006-2007, working at a local workers rights non-profit in Washinton, DC. The AVODAH experience was truly transformative. As fellows, we worked full time at anti-poverty non-profit organizations, earned a small living stipend, lived communally with the other fellows, and participated in programming that helped us explore the intellectual and spiritual underpinnings for a life of social justice and anti-poverty work. This model is a stellar one. Anti-poverty work is simultaneously inspiring, disheartening, frustrating and enlivening - having a network of peers doing similar work who we could share successes and challenges with and come to for support and guidance was an incredibly valuable aspect of the program. AVODAH helped to solidify in me a lifelong committment to social justice, and it provided me, again, with a network of peers who have a similar committment. It also helped to ground my work in the long Jewish tradition of acting out of compassion to better the lives of others and to view ourselves as part of a larger community - one that extends far beyond the neighborhood where we grew up or the college we attended.

AVODAH has changed my life in a powerful and substantial way. AVODAH gave me the experience of being in a community with thirteen people who were very influential on my character and work. AVODAH gives young Jews who have a passion for social justice the chance to live together, support one another, and learn from each other. My friendships from AVODAH will last for the rest of my life. I currently live with four other people who I did AVODAH with. With a similar sense of purpose and values, I have found people who were not just a part of a program with me, but an invaluable support system and close friends. AVODAH also gave me the opportunity to work at an organization that I am very passionate about in a position that helped me grow professionally and personally. I was able to have a major impact on youth in Chicago Public Schools. I developed very special relationships with students that I continue to foster. AVODAH also exposed me to the non-profit community in Chicago. I was familiar with the organization I currently work for because of AVODAH. AVODAH was one of the best decisions I have made in my life and I'm lucky and grateful to have had the experience of being a Corps member. Thank you, Sarah Miles s.catherine.miles@gmail.com

As a service corps member with AVODAH, I had the opportunity to join a wonderful group of like-minded individuals striving to create a community of young Jews fighting for social justice. Now that my year of service is over, I am happy to be an active participant in the alumni community which keeps its members motivated and engaged in social justice work along with providing a resource of highly connected people who are always willing to help members of their fellow community.

In 2007-08 I was a Corps Member, during which time I had the opportunity to work with an amazing non-profit and learn a plethora of information regarding a variety of social justice issues via discussion, text study, site visits, and volunteering. I continue to work with AVODAH as a contract worker and I am impressed by the organization's focus and drive in pursuing its mission.

My year on AVODAH was a life-changing experience, teaching me about community relations and non-profit operation, communication skills and most importantly, connecting me with some of the best friends I have. The staff at AVODAH are superb and believe in the mission of the organization. Now, as an alumni, I am still involved with programming and events and feel connected to other Jewish activists because of our shared experience.

My year with Avodah was a transformative experience. It was one of the most challenging, most beautiful years of my life. However, it sure as hell wasn't easy. I came to the program most excited about the placement (I was at a wonderful organization called i.c.stars) and was most trepidatious about the communal living aspect. it turned out I learned the most from living with 6 other young Jews learning how to change the world. I learned about the conscientiousness necessary when dealing with people living in community. This connected directly to working with communities outside my own and the importance if inclusion and considering as many different points of view as possible. My understanding of the world and myself was expanded tremendously.

I had an amazing year as an AVODAH Fellow. Living in an intentional community with other Jewish young adults, working in a direct service agency with low-income families and learning about Judaism and social justice combined to provide me with a really incredible post-college year. I made some of the best friends I've ever had in AVODAH, and learned very important lessons about what it means to create an intentional community. My job as a social worker provided me with important job experience and life lessons about working with the low-income community and what it means to be poor in America.

I had an incredible experience with AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps. AVODAH is incredibly intentional about the three core parts of their program: setting the participant up with a non-profit organization to embark upon social change work, intentional community living, and programming related to Judaism and social justice. The convergence of all three of these components made the program an incredible experience for myself and other corps members.

I was an Avodah corps member in '08-'09, and my experience working at a nonprofit that provided legal assistance to victims of domestic violence transformed the way I see the world and my plans for the future.

Avodah changed my life! My Avodah year launched my professional career, helped me deepen my connection to Judaism, and brought me incredible friendships. It was an unparalleled experience of personal and professional growth!

Avodah is an amazing program that has helped shaped the lives and careers of hundreds of young adults! It taught me about poverty, judaism, and community among many other things.

This organization is outstanding in every way. AVODAH provides young Jews with an opportunity to serve the larger community through their placements in a variety of social service agencies. The experience of the participants is embedded within the Jewish tradition's strivings for social justice. AVODAH's staff is notable for its tremendous integrity and dedication to repairing the world.

As a current Corps member for AVODAH in Chicago, I am truly amazed by all the work the organization does to educate Corps members about activism and social justice, and to connect grassroots organizations who are making real change everyday. Even in my first month, I feel I have grown as an activist, as a Jew, and as a person committed to giving back.

I have known dozens of people who were participants in AVODAH. Each of them had a life-changing experience. They spoke about the community they formed with like-minded individuals and how much they were challenged at work and at home, but how much support they received as well.

I work with nonprofit organizations for my job and so I know something about nonprofits. What AVODAH has that's amazing is the passion of young people working for social justice within the umbrella of their own heritage. The participants in AVODAH's year-long program are, to a person, amazing individuals who are making a difference in urban communities in the US. I am privileged to know some of them and honored to support the organization.